Matchday 23 of the La Liga clash between Atletico Madrid and Real Betis will take place on 8 February at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano. Atletico Madrid vs Real Betis: prediction, betting odds and statistics.
Atletico Madrid
In their most recent league match, Atletico Madrid surprisingly dropped points away to Levante (0:0). Although the home side’s unbeaten run in this competition has now reached six matches (four wins, two draws), the already sizeable gap to leaders Barcelona has grown to 10 points. The hosts remain third in the standings, but they are only three points clear of closest chasers Villarreal, who also have a game in hand. It is also worth noting that the home team have kept three consecutive clean sheets in La Liga, while overall they have conceded just 17 goals since the start of the season – the best defensive record in the league.
- At least one team failed to score in five of the Madrid side’s previous seven matches in the Spanish league.
- The club’s home winning run in this competition stands at 10 matches.
- Atletico Madrid have scored in 28 consecutive home matches in La Liga.
Potential Atletico Madrid Lineup (4-4-2)*
Jan Oblak – Nahuel Molina, Robin Le Normand, Clement Lenglet, Matteo Ruggeri – Pablo Barrios, Johnny Cardoso, Marcos Llorente, Nicolas Gonzalez – Alexander Sorloth, Thiago Almada.
Midfielders Pablo Barrios and Johnny Cardoso are unavailable due to injury. The participation of forward Alexander Sorloth is in doubt.
Real Betis
Real Betis continue to lack consistency, recording an equal number of wins and defeats (three apiece) across their last eight La Liga rounds. Even so, the past week has been a successful one. Last Sunday, the away side edged past Valencia with some difficulty (2:1), and that result saw the visitors move above Espanyol and return to fifth place for the first time in two months. Now the away team need to consolidate a top-five spot and create some breathing space over their rivals. Climbing into the Champions League places will be extremely difficult, however, as they currently sit seven points behind Villarreal.
- Real Betis have failed to win six of their previous seven away matches in La Liga (four draws, two defeats).
- The Sevilla outfit’s scoring run in this competition has reached six games.
- At least two goals have been scored in 18 of the club’s last 19 away league matches.
Potential Real Betis Lineup (4-2-3-1)*
Alvaro Valles – Marc Bartra, Diego Llorente, Aitor Ruibal, Ricardo Rodriguez – Marc Roca, Sergi Altimira – Abde Ezzalzouli, Antony, Nelson Deossa – Chimy Avila.
Due to fitness issues, midfielders Giovani Lo Celso, Sofyan Amrabat and Isco are not ready, nor are forward Cucho Hernandez and defender Hector Bellerin.
Atletico Madrid vs Real Betis: Match Prediction
The sides already met in the Copa del Rey quarter-finals during the week, and that match at Real Betis’ ground ended in a comprehensive win for Atletico Madrid (5:0). The scoreline is surprising, but the outcome is not. The home side are traditionally one of the most awkward opponents for the Sevilla club. Ahead of Sunday’s trip, Real Betis had lost seven of their previous nine head-to-head meetings in La Liga. Away from home, the visitors have in fact suffered seven straight defeats in this fixture.
In this La Liga season, Atletico Madrid have been close to flawless in front of their own fans: across their last 11 home matches, the club have collected 31 points out of a possible 33 – the best record in the competition. The only home slip-up came back in the summer, and following an August draw with Elche, the hosts have now won 10 consecutive league matches at home.
Prediction: Atletico Madrid to win
* For each team, the starting XI from their previous match in this competition is listed.
